


Her Fate

by Gemstarzah



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types, The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Gen, Past Memories, Unexpected friends in places ones not meant to be welcome, Warg pups
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-14
Updated: 2017-10-12
Packaged: 2018-03-30 11:28:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,989
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3935143
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gemstarzah/pseuds/Gemstarzah
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Not wanting to return to Gundabad after Azog abandoned her, the White Warg, Matriarch of the Gundabad Wargs travels to find herself a new home. When an unexpected friend in the form of an elf shows up, what will come of their unlikely friendship?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Travels

**Author's Note:**

> Told from the eyes of the warg, something I dont think I've seen before

Through the bush, the pale white pelted warg stalked, searching for something to eat. Much of the time she avoided where there were orcs and other wargs, considering she had no want to be found by another orc. Not after the one called Azog had abandoned her and never returned.

She’d found his corpse, and had known he wasn’t coming back, after she’d gone searching for him. Oddly, she felt no sorrow that he was gone; to a place she’d never see him again. The smell of a dwarf had been heavy in the air, one that she had hunted with Azog. Finding the dwarf lying dead, not far from Azog, brought her no grief. Azog had died fighting, just as any warg knew they would.

She’d fled before anything else alive came to find the two corpses, heading out into the woods nearby. While wasn’t used to being alone, she’d soon come across the trail of a lone rabbit and now stalked, searching for her prey. Hunting was the one thing she hadn’t allowed Azog to do for her, for she enjoyed it.

Spotting her prey, she leapt after it, catching it under one paw, breaking its spine before she quickly ate. The forest she was in now… she did not like much. There was a sense of always being watched, she hadn’t liked coming to Dol Guldor with Azog. The presence of the spiders in the forest, though she herself was quite big and a strong fighter, had been unpleasant. Therefore, she ate the rabbit swiftly, before hurrying on.

It took her a few days to reach the other side of the forest, even so, keeping away from any trace of spider, orc or anything else she knew she should avoid. While she kept on travelling, she wasn’t sure where she was going to go. Not back to Gundabad, she knew that much. The others would snarl at her for returning without Azog once more. Her offspring could fend for themselves, they were adults, she had no need to watch over them anymore.

Days and nights passed by as she continued to run, searching for a new place to call home. She didn’t much keep track of where she was going, she knew she was simply wandering. Contrary to what was normal to a warg, she began to long for the company of another, though she did not want to find another orc. That was a life she wanted behind her, Azog had been the only one she had ever allowed close to her.

Eventually she had to stop, out on an exposed area, on the slope of one of the mountain ranges. The scent in the air ahead of her had changed, and had brought her up short. She knew she’d mated with another warg not too long before Azog had left her behind, so she knew that the male she smelt ahead of her wouldn’t be interested in that.

No, the male, smaller than her, since he was no Gundabad warg, was snarling at her. It seemed she’d passed into his territory without realising it. She sighed, before snarling right back at him. Did he really think that she would simply turn and leave? Would the other warg be foolish enough to fight with her?

It seemed the other was foolish enough indeed, for he came racing down toward her, teeth bared, ready to bite. She knew, from years of being challenged by other wargs who wanted her role as the Matriarch of Gundabad, that like any other fight, she wouldn’t kill, but, she would warn him off.

She stepped aside, and the other warg went past her, though she could hear him turning and then returning up the slope. Now it was she who had the advantage of height, and coupled with her own enhanced height, and strength, she set upon him with snapping jaws and slashing claws, easily drawing the first blood from the smaller warg.

Quite a while passed as the two of them fought, before finally, with one last bite that tore a chunk out of the other warg’s right ear, he backed off, whimpering. While she too, bore wounds of her own, she knew they would heal, and simply become a part of the many scars that already graced her hide.

She watched him go, knowing he would have to find a new place to roam, since she had claimed his. Since he looked as though he was rather well fed, she knew there would be food in this area. She set off, searching for a high, dry rock to rest and lick her wounds, before she settled into sleep once more.


	2. Company

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which she realises she's not alone

So asleep she had been, that she did not realise when she woke, that she was not alone. It took her a few moments to realise there were eyes on her, and she looked about, searching. When eyesight alone did not help her, she sniffed at the air, searching for the scent of whatever it was that was watching her. There was something in the air that she could smell, but for the moment, she could not work out what.

Getting to her feet, though she did yelp, one of her front legs hurt more than she had thought it did before she'd slept, she sniffed around, following the strange scent as she did. Finally, her golden eyes fell upon a discarded pack, which was a surprise, leaning against a tree. It hadn't been there when she'd curled up to get some needed rest, she was certain of that.

The scent was much stronger now, at the base of this tree, and so she looked up. There, in the tree, on a branch higher than she could jump, someone sat. She looked closer, searching for any sign of what exactly it was. Before she saw the pointed ears.

_What's an elf doing up there?_

She felt a little confused, given that the elf was only looking back down at her, instead of reaching for the bow that the warg could see behind her. If Azog had been with her, she knew there would have been other wargs also. They would have been commanded to kill the elf.

Well, Azog wasn't here, and she was no fool.

The warg sighed, before turning and limping back over to her rock, though when she turned around, she kept her eyes watching the elf, for quite some time. Bored of not seeing the elf moving at all, she turned her back on her. There was something strange about this elf.

_I don’t understand why I’m not dead already._

For some reason, the elf was allowing her to live, though she couldn't hope to understand why that was at all. Once, she would have had no choice but to attack the elf, but now, when she was alone, she did have a choice. In the state that she was in, she knew she didn't have much of a fight in her. Her strength was still gone from fighting the other warg, and she knew it.

Eventually she drifted off into another sleep, but when she woke up, the scent of something freshly killed reached her nose. She blinked when she spotted the dead rabbits, confused. She knew someone had left them there for her to find. She looked around once more, searching the trees. The pack was gone, so perhaps so was the elf. The old warg hoped indeed that the elf had gone, and would not return.

Last thing she needed was a group of elves finding her. She'd get no mercy.

* * *

 

Days went by as she healed, and somehow, she kept finding more food, twice a day left for her, though there was no sign of the elf. Strange though it was, and certainly not a habit eating things people had left for her like this, she continued to eat. She knew she had to heal and move further from where she'd been resting. Out here, she was too easy to see, and she felt almost exposed.

The day came when she felt strong enough to move more. It did not help that she also caught the scent of that elf yet again. Nor that the elf was very close and watching her. The old warg stayed still, watching the elf, not sure what to think.

Again she found herself questioning why she wasn't dead yet. It still made no sense that the elf hadn't killed her yet. _What is she waiting for?_

The elf spoke, but the words, likely in its own language, were ones that she did not understand. The voice was light though, which told the warg this was no male elf at least. She growled. _If you're going to talk around me, pick another language, one I understand!_

The elf took a step back and the warg realised, too late that she'd bared her teeth at her. Not that she really cared. _I am a warg._

To her surprise, the elf did not run, nor raise her bow, the two reactions that were expected. No, a few seconds later, the elf walked toward her a little way.

Instead it was her who took a few steps back, not liking the elf coming so close to her. The closer that bow got, the less time she had to dodge, if the elf used it in the end against her.

While she knew she was faster than most wargs, she didn’t like the thought of trying that speed against an arrow! She did not doubt the elf's ability to shoot fast, she'd seen many of her own kind brought down by elven archers before they even knew what struck them. 


	3. Why Are You Sparing Me?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please ignore any funky punctuation and random symbols. They usually are apostrophes, accents and quotation marks. While I have a bug report submitted I'm leaving them in so that the people who look into such can see them.

The elf continued toward her, and then did the inexplicable. The elf dropped the bow to the ground and nudged it away with her foot.

White Death looked from her to the bow and then back at her in confusion. She could see no other weapon on the elf at all. _What? Does this elf have a death wish?_ There had to be something going on here. _What is wrong with her? Does she not know who I am?_

White Death growled for a second, but the elf stepped toward her. This elf wasn't afraid of her. That made her wonder even more. White Death never backed away from anyone, the time before had been a rarity. She stayed where she was, eyes searching the rest of the woods.

The elf stopped and held out one hand. White Death snorted, before turning at the sound of a branch snapping. She snarled as a known scent reached her nose. Turning back toward the elf she pushed her until she got the point and stepped backwards, before turning and hurrying in the direction of the sound.

As she closed in, she howled and heard an orc cursing in the Black Tongue. Before he could react she was upon him, teeth ripping at his neck and severing his head.

There were no others but she knew orcs rarely travelled alone, just like wargs usually were in a pack. She picked up the orc head in her mouth and went back to her new companion? No, not companion, she didn't know what the elf was to her.

The elf needed to know what sort of danger she was in. The head ought to do it. Reaching her, she dropped it, on the Stupid One's foot. The elf flinched backwards words flying from her mouth which White Death did not comprehend nor understand. _Yes! Go! More come! Fool!_ The warg shoved at her, pushing her toward the discarded bow. They both had to move, she knew she had no chance against many orcs and wargs, strong as White Death knew she was.

She eyed the elf as she hefted the bow, was surprised when the elf beckoned for her to follow. Well, she knew she couldn't stay here, so it was worth seeing where the elf came from. _Hopefully no elves willing to skewer me with arrows._ This elf, she felt safe around since she hadn't been hurt by it, but others? No. Just no.

Cautious, she followed after her for a while, before halting as the scent of more of these elves filled her nose. She growled, looking around uncertainly. _I'd rather take my chances with that orc pack than put up with more elves._ The elf stopped, turning back to look at her, watching her for a few moments, before calling something out.

This time, she understood two of the words. _Spare her?_ An answer came from somewhere above, and she growled, not liking the feeling of more eyes on her. Eventually, just as she turned at the sound of wargs howling and closing in fast, the conversation with the hidden elves above ended, and she heard bows being drawn taut ready to fire.

Ready to fight, White Death leapt at one of the wargs as it came into the clearing, pushing the orc off its back and biting it hard in the middle, tearing a huge chunk of skin off, before she leapt at a riderless one and fought with it. Soon most of the riderless scouts were coming her way, but she tiredly fought them all off. Almost exhausted at the last came toward her, she was relieved when an arrow buried itself in the back of the wargs skull from somewhere above.

She could still feel eyes on her, and while she was bloody in places, after all, wargs fought quite brutally, she realized that there were more elves on the ground, and not above her. Some were watching her warily, but she just ignored them licking at her bloody front leg, more concerned about herself now that the danger was over. That done, she looked for the elf she somewhat knew, and saw that she was finally coming over.

She heard a few of the elves exclaim in horror as she got to her feet, head almost level with the elf's. The elf held out that hand again, and White Death suddenly had the impression she was being tested. White Death noticed the closed eyes. _You really are brave, even if you are Stupid._ She shifted her weight the slightest bit and let her nose touch the elf's hand, amused when the elf's eyes closed tighter for a second and her whole body shook. Shifting her head away, White Death looked at the other elves. _Think me a threat now?_ All of them had lowered their bows, looking amazed.

One of them spoke to another, and the other elf ran off out of sight. _What?_ Then another came forward and spoke to Stupid One, gesturing to White Death. She got the point. She had to go with them, and see what this Lord of Imladris - wait Imladris? Would decide to do with her.

 _Oh great. More elves._ All White Death wanted, was to find somewhere safe to have her pups when they came along, and that would be soon enough. She sighed, looking at the elf whom she trusted at least a bit. The elf nodded at her, looking almost resigned to the situation.

White Death knew she had to behave, but that would be hard. All her life she had known to hurt elves, to hunt them and kill them. Now she had to do the opposite for she knew this Lord, El-something-or-other wouldn't hesitate to have her slain immediately. For now, she would rely on her Stupid One to protect her, and to explain the situation. She growled the slightest bit, really put out at the situation.

The group started moving, and she stayed a little way from them, always listening for trouble. None came, and she was glad when they set about making a campsite, for she needed to rest.

Startled, she looked up as a dead rabbit landed in front of her, a different elf having brought it while her Stupid One was busy at one of the fires. Deciding there was nothing wrong with the smell of the rabbit, she attacked it hungrily, wishing there was more, but knowing she was unlikely to get it. She could smell birds being cooked, and looked at the fireplace hungrily.

 _Stupid One must have explained about me._ There was no way they'd be giving her food if they didn't realise she was pregnant. More than one came over to give her the leftovers from their own meals, and she didn't mind that, she was very hungry. _Perhaps I might keep you after all, Stupid One, but you will never own me!_ Tired, but realizing she was safe, White Death rested her scarred head on her paws, and closed her eyes to get some sleep.


	4. Lord Of Imladris

Once White Death saw the horses she knew her Stupid One wouldn't be able to keep up on foot. It seemed she would have to do the one thing she had hoped to not have to do again. Else they would be left behind and White Death had no intention of allowing that to happen. She sighed, nudging Stupid One before looking back at her own back. 

Stupid One stared at her, looking rather surprised. 

_ Yes I know you don't know how to ride a warg but now you're going to have to learn. _ Besides the elf looked a lot lighter than any orc that White Death had dealt with on her back. She's probably be a lot gentler too and that was something White Death wanted considering the pups in her belly. 

Stupid One called out to the other elves, who turned toward her once more looking amused, as the elf climbed somewhat awkwardly up onto White Death’s back. 

White Death growled, hoping the elf would work out how to hold on. Wasn't like she could tell her. It mattered little to her anyway. This was something she could do, even if it felt so very strange to the elf.

She started walking toward the rest of the elves on their stupid easily frightened horses.  _ I need no controlling things like all those straps to tell me where to go.  _ She would follow without directions. There had never been a time that Azog had dared to do so to her, she'd snapped and snarled any time an orc had tried. One had lost his head for it at one point. 

For the moment she kept moving a slower pace to let the elf get used to it, before she slowest started to speed up. Eventually she could hear the elf laughing as she ran through the trees keeping her distance from the horses.  _ Stupid easily frightened creatures. _ She knew her companion would have wanted to be with the other elves, but there was no chance she could do so while travelling. Not with all these horses about.

Even though Stupid One was lighter than an orc, she was exhausted when they stopped for the night. She was glad when one of the elves handed over some food for her once again. She had not the strength to hunt with all this travelling going on. 

White Death knew that she wasn't all that well trusted but she had the feeling she was slowly getting these elves to trust her.  _ They did not kill me when they met me, now they have to put up with me. _ She wouldn't run off. Too old she was now, she only would live for maybe a year more. 

The one thing she wished for, was to see one of her pups looking as she did. White as snow. So few white wargs there were, and she knew that they were fewer now than once they had been. 

When, three days later she found herself looking down into a valley with buildings she'd not seen before, she knew her fate was about to be sealed for good. 

She paused at the top of the cliffs, not sure that she should go down there. There were scents ahead that she recognised and some of them were ones that had killed wargs in the past. Her children had died thanks to elves here.

Not that she felt any lingering sense of attachment to her young once they were able to hunt for themselves. She did not have to look after them at that point. Those who didn't learn well weren't her concern once that time had come. 

White Death grumbled as she headed down the sloping path into the valley. As the valley walls rose up around her, she felt more and more uneasy. It wasn't a liked feeling that she would soon be trapped in this valley, she practically was already trapped. 

She felt Stupid One patting her neck as she moved and while it reassured her a little, it was a very small bit of comfort. 

Shaking her head, she continued on once more, knowing she had no real choice in the matter. There was no doubt that she was already being watched by those lower down, and as they reached the wide flat area at the bottom of the valley, her thoughts on the matter were made true. 

There was a lot of shouting as elves came running toward the group all of them armed and she yelped. Right now there was nowhere to go for her.  _ This is where I end? _ That seemed hardly fair. 

She heard the elves who had been with her talking, and there were a lot of raised voices at present which made it very hard for her to work out where each came from. 

Eventually silence came as two elves joined them, one dark haired the other pale. White Death sensed a great deal of power emanating from them both and she was worried. 

While some of the elves here knew she was no threat hear two didn't. White Death watched as those around her bowed briefly when it came the dark haired elf. That helped her realise who he had to be. This had to be Lord Elrond. 

She eyed him for a few moments aware of others eyes on her. Before the for the briefest of seconds lowered her head a fraction. She felt someone scratching the back of her neck and she soon realised it was Stupid One. 

Never before had she bowed her head to anyone, not even Azog. It wasn't in the manner of a white warg to do so as it was a sign of subservience, something she had taught all her pups over the years and enforced amongst the wargs ridden by Azog’s orcs. Those she had no fear of as she had been the matriarch of that pack. 

Her blue eyes watched as the dark haired elf Lord circled around her, assessing her. When he came back he seemed startled by something he'd learned. Before he spoke again pointing at her belly as he did several times.  _ Oh so you worked it out. _ That she wasn't sure was a good thing.  _ I know I carry pups. _ White Death had been looking for a safe place to have them when she'd run into Stupid One. 

One word she picked out from Stupid One now that caught her interest. Gāyā. It seemed that was what Stupid One called her. Stupid elf… stupid name. 

“Terror? You call her the word we use for Terror?”

White Death growled. 

_ Am I not a creature that instills fear in those who have not met a warg before? _ White Death watched Elrond for a few more moments, surprised that the elf didn’t back away. Elrond spoke again, and Stupid One answered, sounding quite adamant with her answers. 

Eventually Elrond nodded, and Stupid One beckoned.

White Death growled, before wandering over to her friend, curious as to what the elf had said. Stupid One led her away, back across the bridge and up to a house separated from the rest.


End file.
